Hoover | Alabama | Board of Education | Schools | Invocation

Fourth Circuit rules against Forsyth Country in prayer case (This is an interesting case in the county did everything they could to make it inclusionary, yet made one error where the 4th Circuit called them on it. The entire opinion can be found here (PDF File) - and should be read. Should this go to the Supreme Court, it may have a major impact on governmental prayer.)

Regional News (Southeast USA, TN, MS, LA)

Augusta Has a Prayer to Any Legal Challenge

Church Criticized for Teaching Religious Heritage (the ones doing the criticizing are the same ones who sent the letter to the Hoover Board of Education)

South Carolina City Council Affirms Prayer Policy After Warning From Anti-Religion Group

Woodruff City Council Outlines Prayer Policy

Spartanburg County council to set prayer policy

North Carolina city council caves in to threat of lawsuit regarding Christian flag

Letter: Separation Amendment Not In Constitution

Is graduation in a church a violation of church/state divide? (This is an interesting story, but more interesting are the comments below the story. Scroll down to "Michael" who posted on December 3, 2010 at 10:49am. Micheal writes "My last two polling places have been in churches, too. I profess no belief in “G”od and do not believe religion is being forced on me at the voting booth. Even if someone walked up to me and started talking about Jesus I wouldn’t call that “forced.” And people can walk up to me on the street and do the same and that’s not forced.

As an attorney familiar with the Equal Access to Justice Act, I believe First Amendment cases are just revenue generators. The suits protect us from religious overreaching. However, since the EAJA provides attorney fees for the prevailing party in suits against the government, I can only surmise these suits are filed and fought because you get paid after the show. To the limousine liberals it’s all about the Benjamins."

Husfelt credits prayer for his life (This is the story of the shooting at the Bay District School Board Meeting on 12/14/10. Bill Husfelt, the superintendent credits the prayer at the beginning of the meeting for saving his life. More on the shooting can be found here.)

Advice to school district: Don't be bullied

Atlanta School Board Votes Not to Move Graduation From Local Church (Finally, a Board that doesn't allow itself to be pushed around)

Cherokee County votes on graduation site (same story, but from a local source)

Johnson County TN 10 Commandments display ignites lawsuit and fierce separation of church and state debate

School Board won't bow to anti-prayer group

Polk County May Face Prayer Lawsuit (same story, different take)

Public Schools, Not Sunday Schools? ACLU Files Lawsuit (If ACLU loses this, it will be a great step forward. If schools cave, it will be great step back)

ACLU Demands Apology for Graduation Prayer

Students Hold Prayer Despite Atheist's Threat

Alabama News

Jackson County School Board Sides with "Bible Man" Superintendent Ken Harding says, "It shouldn't be in the country that we live in that the minority forces their rights and beliefs on everybody else. We want to respect everybody's right. We want ours respected too."

Local News (Jefferson/Shelby Counties)

Foundation led by Roy Moore calls for Hoover school board to reinstate prayer at meetings

Prayers at meetings a popular tradition across Alabama and the South

School controversy in Maplesville over "In God We Trust"

Stadium Fest 2011 Draws Over 39,000

Scott Dawson brings StadiumFest to Hoover's Spain Park HIGH SCHOOL stadium

Public Address prayers to cease at football games

Other Related News/Opinion Articles

A new age of religious discrimination

History of 'church and state' (a good article, but it should be noted that the author states that Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptist Association was written on 10/07/1801, which is when the letter to the Danbury Baptist Association to Jefferson was written. Jefferson's response was actually written on 01/02/1802)

A thorough analysis of the Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptist Association by the Library of Congress curator of the original letter.

Separation of Church and State: Why the Government Can't Stop Christmas (good article on the intent of the Founders when they drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Long read, but worth it.)

Why does Religious Freedom Matter? Another good explanation of the Founders' intent

Why does Religious Freedom Matter, Part II More good information on the Founders' intent

Founders feared government, not religion

Has Rhode Island lost its soul? This article could apply to any state/municipality

Religious views matter

If the foundations be destroyed A good article explaining what the founders had in mind

An Open Letter to the Atheist Community by Rabbi Adam Jacobs

Church accused of crossing the political line

The 'No God' Religion

Arizona Day of Prayer? Oh, the Horror!

Separation of religion, education often walks a blurred line A very good, unbiased opinion piece

Has Education Lost It's Soul Part I

Has Education Lost It's Soul Part II

10 Things You Might Not Know About America's Independence (See #8)

Our Founders vs. NBC and New York Atheists Some interesting facts about Jefferson and Madison

Separation of Church and State Limits Neither Churches nor States An article the ACLU, FFRF or AU probably won't like

Prayer opponents would infringe council's right

Hoover Board of Education Meeting Updates

09/07/10 - This meeting was a combined Budget Hearing meeting and Regular Meeting. From 5:28 pm to 5:58 pm the Budget Hearing for FY 2011 was held. At its conclusion, Board President A.W. Bolt gaveled the Regular Meeting to order. The Agenda showed that there would a Moment of Silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Bolt went straight to the Pledge of Allegiance, skipping over the Moment of Silence.

12/13/10 - The Agenda did not list either an invocation nor a moment of silence. Usually one or the other would be listed. Board President A.W. Bolt went directly from calling the meeting to order to recognizing the Hoover High School Choir to the Pledge of Allegiance.

01/18/11 - An update is forthcoming as to why there has been no moment of silence, nor an invocation.

04/03/11 - The reason for no invocation or moment of silence? The Board voted at their retreat in December to do away with both. Safer that way.